Winding machine



Jan. 18, 1949.

Original Filed Aug. 31, 1.944

C- D. JENCKS ETAL WINDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDING MACHINE Charles D. Jencks, Bristol, R. L, and Robert H. Lawson, Lakeport, N. 11., assignors to Walter Kiddo & Company, Inc., Believiile, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Continuation of application Serial No. 552,098, August 31, 1944. This application May 13. 1948, Serial No. 669,294. In Great Britain February light contact with, or barely out of contact with,

the surface of the package being wound. It includes mechanism for positively controlling the retraction of the back as the thread package increases in size in such a way that the pressure on the package being wound will be either light and uniform or practically non-existent. The pressure of the thread guide on the package increases the tension of thread as wound in the package. Accordingly, this pressure must be maintained accurately at a predetermined degree; that is, it must either add nothing to the tension of the thread delivered to the package, or it must add definite ascertainable amount.

In accordance with the present invention the thread is accurately controlled in its passage to the package by a control device which tends to move always away from the surface of the package by the action of gravity, a spring, electric, pneumatic or hydraulic means, and this movement is automatically controlled by the growth of the thread package itself. Going more into detail, the improved machine has a feeler constructed and arranged to be operated by the merest touch and more delicate responsive control action than heretofore known. At the same time we dispense entirely with the provision of motor means thereby substantially simplifying the machine and taklng'full advantage of the smooth, silent action of gravity or other aforementioned means for effecting actual movement of the back.

The nature of the locking means is of secondary importance. One simple and effective construction comprises merely an electromagnet operatively associated with a portion of the back and initially arranged to lock the back either by direct magnetic action or by controlling a movable looking member. Preferably and as herein shown,

we employ mechanism for governing or retarding the rate of retracting movement while the backis released. For example, an escapement mechanism may be connected to the back and arranged to prevent the back from unduly accelerating under the influence of gravity or other aforementioned means and to limit ,the back to movement in a succession of short steps of 'uniformamplitude and speed.

By the improved mechanism herein disclosed we may produce at high speed from any natural or synthetic yarns, either elastic or non-elastic packages, which are softer to the touch, more uniform, lighter in density and with less initial tension in the yarn strand than has been practical heretofore. This, of'course, is particularly desirable in dealing with any strand of an elastic The process of our'invention is characterized by the steps of directing thread to a rotating from the package and connections effective to lock the back in t which the thread guide is mounted against retracting movement and intermittently to release the locking means. In this respect the present invention is to be distinguished from winding machines heretofore known in which motor means have been employed for controlling the relative positions of the package holder and the thread guide, or in which a friction disk driven by traction on the package has been employed to operate a gear train for moving a package-supporting cradle to separate the package and the thread guide. In the machine of our invention the i'eeler, which may take the shape of a control roll, has no burden of operating a gear train, and no gear train is employed between the feeler and the back carrying the thread guide. 0n the contrary, the feeler has only to trip a lightly balanced micro-switch or the like. an operation requiring only the slightest impulse. In this way we secure a lighter, quicker,

package, maintaining a control roll adjacent to the surface of the package, and retracting the roll from actual contact with the package by the action of gravity crother aforementioned means from time to time as the surface of the growing package meets the roll.

These and other features of the invention will be'best understood and appreciated from the following description of an embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of so much of a winding machine equipped with the mechanism of our invention as is necessary to understand its operation,

Fig. 2 is a similar view in elevation,

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation illustrating a modifled construction, 7

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

In carrying out our invention, any desired winding machine of commercial construction may be employed insofar as the elements for supporting and rotating the winding spindle and for imparting traversing movement to the thread guide are concerned. Accordingly, in Fig. 1 is shown only one of the upright side frames In of such a winding machine. In this frame is supported by suitable Journal boxes 3, horizontal spindle arranged to be rotated at high speed and having: a flange and a removable collar l2 at its outer end between which may be clamped the cop on which the thread package i3 is to be wound. In Fig. 1 the thread package is shown as cylindrical but it might, of course, be conical in shape.

The back carrying the thread guide is supported to rock freely about the axis of a shaft I4 projecting outwardly from a boss l5 on a side frame l0. being held in place on the shaft by a circular threaded nut. The back includes an upwardly extending arm |6 carrying a transversely extending frame I1. In this frame a bearing is provided for a slide l8 from which extends an upright arm carrying the thread guide IS. The

ratchet disk35 in a counter-clockwise direction under gravity pressure of the back. I

Rotation "of the ratchet disk 35, although released by the dog 31, is retarded and controlled by escapement mechanism which will now be described. A block 4| secured to the bottom of the casing 32 provides a bearing for a yoke 42 having upwardly extending arms carrying escapement pawls which engage opposite sides of the ratchet or escapement disk 35. The yoke 42 is continuously oscillated by the power of the machine, there being a .crank pin 43 set in the end of the shaft I4 and connected to the yoke through the downwardly extending rod 44. At the lower end of the rod 44 are located a. pair of compression springs 45 which engage opposite sides of a stud 46 projecting from one arm of the yoke 42. The

Y yields and permits lost motion to occur between slide I8 is reciprocated at high speed by cam mechanism (not shown) in traversing the thread guide back and forth in a longitudinal path parallel to the surface of the thread package I3.

In the upper portion of the frame i1 is removably secured an elongated yoke 2|! having inwardly extending arms at each end and between which is journaled a long feeler roll 2 I. This roll is free to turn upon cone-pointed screws set in the arms of the yoke and constitutes the control device or feeler member of the mechanism as will presently appear. Mounted at the right hand end of the oke 20 is a micro-switch 22 having an operating arm 23 carrying a roll which rests upon an eccentric section 24 formed in the right hand end of the feelerroll 2|. Accordingly, when the thread package increases in diameter sufliciently to brush against the feeler roll 2|, the latter is rotated and in such rotation the eccentric section 24 lifts the operating arm 23 of the switch and momentarily closes the circuit through the microswitch 22. Electric current from any suitable source of power is supplied to the mechanism by connections not shown and the switch 22 is included in the operating circuit through connecting wires 26. v

The upwardly'extending arm iii of the back has an extension below the shaft i4 and is there connected to a downwardly extending arm 30. Secured to the lower end of the arm 30 is the segment 3| of a circular rack disposed concentrically with respect to the axis of the shaft l4 and forming in effect an integral part of the back. The back as a whole is balanced so that it tends always to swing away from. the thread package,

that is to say, to move in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. The arm 30 and segment 3| move freely within an open casing 32 of sheet metal which is secured to the side frame l0 of the machine. In this casirg is journaled a horizontal shaft 33 provided at its inner end with a pinion 34 always in mesh with the circular rack segment 3|. A ratchet or escapement disk 35 is also carried by the shaft 33. Located above the disk 35 and secured to the inner wall of the casing 32 is a block 36 in which is movably mounted a locking dog 31. The dog is connected at its upper end to the vertically movable plunger of a solenoid 38 which is connected by the wires 26 to the microswitch 22. Normally the locking dog 31 rests by gravity upon the ratchet disk 35 and positively prevents its movement. However, when the micro-switch 22 is closed, the solenoid 38 is attracted and the locking dog is drawn upwardly into releasing position permitting rotation of the the connecting rod 44 and the yoke 42 so long as the latter is held at rest by the locking dog 31 and yet are, adequate'to oscillate the yoke whenever the locking dog is lifted by the action of the solenoid 38. v

It is believed-that the operation of the mechanism above described will be clear from what has already been said but it may be summarized as follows: When the thread package is to be wound the locking dog v31 may be raised by hand and the back swung inwardly toward the spindle in opposition to its natural tendency to swing outwardly away from the spindle. The feeler roll 2| is thus positioned adjacent to the spindle and to the surface of the package which is to be wound thereon. When the machine is set in operation the package begins to increase in diameter. The back is held stationary by the action of the locking dog 31 through the ratchet disk 35 and the pinion 34 and the escapement yoke oscillates idly. As soon as the package has increased in diameter sufllcientlyto brush against the feeler roll 2|, the

micro-switch 22 is closed, the locking dog 31 is lifted and rocking of the yoke 42 of the escapement mechanism permits the back to retract from the thread package by one or more short steps governed in their amplitude by the pitch of the teeth of the escapement disk and the rate of oscillation of the yoke. This retarded gravity movement of the back separates the feeler roll 2| from the surface of the package, the feeler roll rocks back to initial position opening the micro-switch, releasing the locking dog and again locking the back against further retracting movement.

A pin 25 extending inwardly from the right hand wall of the yoke 20 determines the initial position of the switch arm 23. The eccentricity of the section 24 of the feeler roll and the pressure of the switch operating arm 23 both tend to return the feeler roll to its initial position with its eccentric section in its lowest position. It remains in this position always except when displaced by contact of the package surface. An adjustable stop 41 mounted on the side frame l0 limits the inward movement of the back when no package is being wound.

In-Figs. .3 and 4 is illustrated a modified construction in which the back is locked in position by direct magnetic action. In this construction a thin iron plate is securedto the'lower end of arm I 6 of the back. This plate comprises a downwardly extending portion 50 and a segmental portion 5| shown as provided with a knurled surface and as shaped concentrically with respect to the axis of the shaft ll. 1! sheet metal casing 82 is secured to the side frame II and upon the outer wall of this casing is mounted an electromagnet I! having a double pole located in close hi imity to the segmental'portion ll of the iron plate. The electromagnet 53 is connected through a cable 64 to the micro-switch I! or any other switch controlled by the feeler mechanism of the machine. The circuit is arranged so that the magnet is normally attracted and the back locked against movement. when the package surface brushes against the feeler roll, the switch operating arm 23 is lifted and the current momentarily interrupted. The magnetic locking action upon the segment Si is broken and the back swings away from the package through a short distance which is terminated the instant that the feeler roll is freed from contact with:the package surface. The back thus moves by gravity away from the package in a series of short steps of duration or amplitude controlled by; the feeler roll through the operation of energizing or tie-energizing the electromagnet 53 but in this case there is no retarding effect such as is produced by the escapement controlled pinion in the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that separation ofthe back and package can be effected otherwise than by the influence of gravity. For example, a force simulating the influence of gravity may be applied to the back by means of a spring or the like, or pneumatically, hydraulically or electrl cally operated devices. In a practical embodiment utilizing such equivalents, the back would be counterbalanced to normally retain the same adjacent the package and a force simulating gravity would be constantly applied to eflect separation of the back and package.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described. and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

This application is a continuation of our prior application, Serial Number 552,098, filed August 31, 1944, now abandoned.

We claim:

1. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide mounted for relative longitudinal and transverse movements; 2. back carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package, a package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on the support, means for locking the back against movement, and means operated by said feeler for intermittently releasing the locking means.

2. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide mounted for relative longitudinal and transverse movements; a back carrying said guide and being pivotally mounted and balanced toswing by gravity away from said package support, a package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of a package being wound on said support, and mechanism controlled by the feeder for intermittently holding and releasing the back for retracting movement in a series of steps of predetermined length.

3. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide mounted for relative longitudlnalandtransverse movements; a 'back carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, a package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on the support, means operatively connected to said feeler for locking and unlocking the back, and retarding mechanism permitting the back when unlocked to retract under gravity at a controlled rate of speed.

4. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide movable adiacent thereto; a back carrying said guide and beingmounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, an electrically controlled lock acting to hold the back against retracting movement, a package feeler mounted adiacent to the package support, a switch in circuit with said lock and operated by said feeler, and means for governing the rate of retracting movement of the back while the lock is released.

6. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide movable adjacent thereto; a back carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, a lock normally holding theback against retracting movement, feeler mechanism for releasing the look from time to time as the package on the support increases in size, and continuously operating escapement mechanism for governing the rate of retraction of the back.

7. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide movable adjacent thereto; a back carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, a gear segment carried by the back, a ratchet disk having a geared connection with said segment, escapement pawls oscillated continuously by the power of the machine and governing the rotation of said ratchet disk, a lock initially holding said disk against rotation, a solenoid for releasing the look, a feeler mounted in the back, and a circuit for energizing the solenoid arranged to be opened and closed by movement of the feeler in response to contact with a package being wound on the support.

8. In a winding machine having a rotatable package spindle and a thread guide movable adjacent thereto; aback pivotally mounted to swing freely by gravity away from said spindle and having a package feeler mounted therein, the back extendingbeyond its pivotal axis, escapement mechanism connected to the back at a point beyond said axis, a crank rotatable about the said axis of the back, operating connections between it and the said escapement mechanism, and a feeler controlled lock for said escapement mechanism. r

9. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide movable ad- Jacent thereto; a back, carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, an iron plate connected to and movable with the back, an electromagne-t mounted adjacent to said plate, and a package feeler control circuit for energizing the magnet to hold the back against retracting movement.

10. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide mounted for relative longitudinal and transverse movements; 2. back carrying said guide and being mounted to move freely by gravity away from said package support, a package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on said support, and mechanism controlled by the feeler for intermittently holding and releasing the back for retracting movements in a series of steps of definite time duration.

11. A winding machine having a frame, a.

rotatable package support and a back mounted in the frame for relative movement toward and from each other and balanced atall times to move apart under the influence of gravity, a reciprocatory thread guide carried-by the back, a feeler roll also mounted in the back and arranged and said package support being relatively movto be rocked by contact with a package being wound upon the said support, an electromagnetic lock normally holding the support and back against separating movement, lock-controlling mechanism including a switch for intermittently releasing the said lock when the feeler roll is rocked from time to time as the diameter of the package increases, and means then acting to retard the separating movement of the support and back.

12. In a winding machine having cooperating elements comprising a rotary package support and a back mounted for relative movement toward and from each other and balanced normally to separate by the action of gravity, a disk gear-driven by one of said elements, a'lock normally holding the disk against rotation, a feeler ment as the diameter of the package increases,

intermittently releasing the thread-guide for retracting movement, and retarding acceleration of its gravity movement when so released.

14. The process of winding thread packages of uniform density from elastic strands, which includes the steps of leading an elastic strand to a rotating package by a reciprocating thread-guide balanced normally to retract by gravity from the package, intermittently holding the thread-guide from, and releasing it for, such gravity movement as the diameter of the package increases, andv causing the gravity movement of the released thread-guide to take place in a step-by-step manner.

15. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide mounted for relative longitudinal and transverse movements; a back carrying said guide and being mounted to move by gravity away from said package, a rotary package feeler mounted adjacent. to the surface able and being constructed and arranged to move by gravity into separated position, means for locking said supporting means and package support against relative movement, means for contacting a package on said package support, and means operated by said contacting means for intermittently releasing said locking means.

17. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide, a back carrying said guide, said back and package supiport being relatively'movable and being constructed and arranged to move by gravityinto separated position, a-package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on said support, means operatively connected to said'feeler for locking and unlocking saidback,

and retarding mechanism permitting said back whenunlocked to separate from said support at v a controlled rate'of speed.

" 18. In a winding machine having a rotatable packagejsupport and a thread guide, a back carrying said guide, said back and package support being relatively movable and being adapted tobe urged into separated position, a ratchet wheel geared to the back, means for positively locking said wheel, escapement means oscillated.

by the power of the machine, a package feeler, and mechanism controlled thereby and acting to release said locking means when said feeler is contacted by a package wound on said support.

19. In a winding machine having a rotatable package support and a thread guide, a back ,carrying said guide, said back and package support being relatively movable and being constructed and arranged to move by gravity into separated position, a package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on said support, and mechanism controlled by said feeler for intermittently holding and releasing said back for separating movements in a series of steps of definite time duration.

20. In a winding machine 'having a rotatable package support and a thread guide, a back carrying said guide, said back and package support being relatively movable and being adapted to be urged into separated position, a rotary package feeler mounted adjacent to the surface of the package being wound on said support, an electromagnetic lock for intermittently locking said back, and package against separation with respect .to each other, and a switch operated by said feeler for controlling said lock.

CHARLES D. JENCKS. ROBERT H. LAWSON.

REFERENCES 'crrEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,181,267 Elvin et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,295,535 Abbott Sept. 15, 1942 2,335,975 Stahl et a1. Dec. '7, 1943 

